Forest of Lies
by Snakehips FC
Summary: Nightmares. Severus is being held back by his torturous past as Dumbledore sends him out on a dangerous mission...Chapter 2 begins and the plot thickens...
1. Default Chapter

Escaping the Past

This is a Fan Fiction written by The Sevvie "Snakehips" Snape Society, based on the Cinescape Message Boards. 

Summary: Nightmares. Severus is being held back by his torturous past as Dumbledore sends him out on a dangerous mission...

Warning: Bad language and references to delicate issues such as rape are present in future installments. 

Chapter One

Snape woke up with a start, breathing heavily. 'Another dream', he muttered to himself. 'Just another dream.' It was the same dream he had every night. Of what happened that night many years ago, when he was still a Death Eater. The event that caused him to turn to Dumbledore and consequently become a spy. He shook his head trying to shake away the memories, but to no avail. They flashed him back to that night and it was as if it happened only yesterday....

He could hear screaming as he walked down the long hallway. Voldemort had called for him. As he approached the chamber he heard Voldemort talking. 

"We will destroy them tonight, and Severus will help us."

As he walked cautiously down the corridor the screaming grew louder...louder...louder still, until the noise was unbearable. Trying in vain to block out the screams, Severus bit his lip. He would have given anything to turn around and run as far away from this place as he could, but somehow he could not seem to stop his feet from moving as they marched him further still along the dank corridor. Raising a shaking hand to his forehead he wiped his brow of the cold, clammy sweat that clung there. 

At last he reached the door. His hand seemed to take on a life of its own as he reached out to turn the big, brass handle. The handle was burning hot to the touch and he sprang back, nursing his singed hand and cursing angrily. The door swung open however, creaking loudly as it did so. Severus felt his blood run cold as he heard a high, cackle of laughter from inside the room as he stepped inside.....

He stood frozen to the spot as he saw the bodies of his his parents, and his half-blood girlfriend. Then a hand gripped his shoulder.

"You know what to do with her, don't you?"

a hoarse voice whispered behind his ear. 

Severus nodded grimly and avoided the glances of his pleading girlfriend. Although he knew in his mind that she had lost all hope of mercy being shown, there was still a wild, desperate glint in her eye, full of life and energy. His parents were dead; the father he had never known, slumped miserably over a chair and the mother who had never known him, lain in a curled up position, as if she were a sleeping child. They were gone, yet she was live, and her fate lay within in his hands. 

He raised a shaky hand, hoping the Dark Lord wouldn't notice it. How pale he was, the sweat and his heart that threatened to burst out of his chest.

He took a long and silent breath, looking into her eyes, unable to look away. His wand shone over his head and he felt his throat go dry. All he had to do was to say two words.

'Avada Kedavra.'

Oh,on Merlins life, how could he, this sweet,young thing, who had shown him such love and affection, such as he had never known he that twisted world of his childhood. His mother, lying their,like a child herself, had rejected him, for what, needing the soft, maternal touch she so readily denied him. But she was gone from him now, forever, but that girl, how, she had lifted him from despair with her sweet, kind nature, unlike anything he'd know. Only now he was to destroy the one thing that had given him hope and light in this sick and dark existance. He looked, for the first time, it seemed, into her deep blue sapphire eyes and...

To be continued


	2. Continued...

Snape almost threw himself out of bed, trying to force down the memories which treatened to overwhelm him completely. For a moment he managed. He dressed thinking the mornings ordeal was over, but as he pulled out his long black cloak his eyes focused on his wand...the very one that had done so much damage back then. Suddenly he was right in the memory again...staring into those innocent eyes...

He managed to hold off the memory with great difficulty. He took deep breaths, forcing his heart to calm down. He got ready and left his chambers to his first lesson today. His only consolation was that Longbottom and Potter's gang would help keep him distracted as they always did. Long enough to go on with the day. For night was a different zone, in which he had no control over his thoughts and memories. He got to the class and started his lesson.

"10 points Potter. Stop talking to Weasley." ignoring the hateful glares directed at him from the griffindor lot. He carried on walking around, bestowing helpful comments on Malfoy. Finally the bell rang, signalling the end of class. Just in time, as he suddenly realised that he forgot to put on his underwear underneath his black robes. Just as well there's a free period next. He hurried back and put on his ......

Summer long johns, grey of course and mid-thigh length ( it was August after all, no need to be too hot).  
As he sat in his dimly lit room, he sighed and thought,that's one less lesson of being pleasant to Malfoy, out of the way. That little, fool made him think of all those boys in Sytherin when he was in school,who had tried to make his life a misery. Why did they hate him? He came to Hogwarts full of hope for a better life away from his parents and his cruel governess, but instead found himself the butt of Lucius Malfoys gangs little pranks and jibes.  
Lost in thought for a moment he looked up and...... 

Saw Dumbledore standing in front of him looking at him.  
"Head master", Snape said. "I had no idea you were standing there."  
Dumbledore merely nodded, his face severe.  
"Severus, I'm affraid I must ask you to go on a dangerous asignment."  
Snape swallowed hard, knowing it would probably be life threatening.  
"Whatever you wish head master", he said. "What is it?"

"Come with me, Severus, and I shall explain all" said Dumbledore, moving towards the door.  
"Very well" said Snape, following Dumbledore out of the door, his long, black robes flowing behind him as he swept along.  
Dumbledore lead them to the enterance of the school and out of the large front doors. A frown crossed Severus's brow as he wondered where the headmaster was leading him. They ended up at the start of the forbidden forest.  
"Within these woods, there is something you must do. The centaurs will point you in the right direction. I cannot say more than that. Let me know when you are done." And with that he turned and walked back to the school.  
Severus looked back at the departing headmaster with an interested expression on his face. "Better get on with it then." he said to himself.   
He went into the forest, twigs catching on his robes and slippery moss on the floor trying to make him lose his balance. He suddenly heard a noise in front of him and then.............

"Sirius..." he seethed, looking up. He automatically straightened his robes and jerked backwards. They both stared at each other in silence, their fists clenched and teeth bared.  
"What are you doing here..?" Snape managed to say in a hoarse whisper. The other man stayed silent and merely continued to glare, his body stiff, his eyes focused.   
"What's it to you..?" he finally replied.  
"Nothing. So what are you doing here..?"   
"I'm on an important assignment."  
"I'm on an extremely important assignment."  
"What do you have to do?"  
"I'm not able to disclose such important and delicate information. Only truly trustworthy people can be told the information by Dumbledore. Do you know what you're doing..?" Severus said suspiciously, a sneer playing round his lips.   
"Of course I do." the other man said hurriedly, "I'm on a highly dangerous, complicated and skilled mission for Dumbledore. He obviously hired me especially for it, because he couldn't trust any other person to do the job properly..."  
Snape snorted. "Well...I'm searching for the Centaurs..."  
Sirius raised his eyebrows, but abruptly lowered them and casually said, "I also happen to be looking for them..."  
A deep growling could be heard in the distance, as the forest grew darker and thicker.   
"Well are you going..?"

As they turned towards the sounds of the forest, both men eyed each other with a complex mix of emotions. Yes,they knew Dumbledore trusted them both, but that didn't make their partnership any more straight-forward, there was too much history to ever be that simple. Moving steadily,even in the increasing gloom they were silent,but Snape sensed Sirius' need to express himself welling up until he could be mute no more.  
"Why Dumbledore trusts you is beyond me, after all you've been" Sirius spat the words at Severus as if to cut him to the bone.   
And then stared at Snapes left arm , with a look of repulsion and hatred. But still there was something unsaid between the two, that made an uneasy quiet against the anger shown openly by Black.  
Yes, these were the hateful remarks he had become used to over the years, but somehow tonight was different,something about Sirius was different.

They continued on, further into the forest. The silence began to get longer and longer. There was a weird glow up ahead in the distance. Snape noticed it first and nudged Sirius.   
"What do you think that is?" pointing at it.  
"No idea," said Sirius. "Why don't YOU go and investigate?"  
"After you. I absolutely insist. After all Dumbledore asked you first to investigate this didn't he?" said Snape, with a sneer.  
"Fine. I'll go first then. Just don't pull any funny tricks or you won't hear the last of it." snapped Sirius.  
"Suits me fine."   
Lettting Sirius go first, Snape followed behind, sniggering to himself when Sirius nearly tripped on a stray tree root. As they got closer the glow became brighter and there in a clearing was....

Continued...


	3. Chapter one continued...

Continued

A huge cetaur. He was tall and authoritive, shining brute force.  
"Are you Dumbledore's people?"  
They both nodded, too stunned to speak.  
"And you are-?" Snape asked suspiciously.  
"Tegar, but my name is of no matter to either of you. We must hurry."  
"Hurry where?" Sirius asked concerned.  
"You'll see." He simply said and sped off. Serius and Snape exchanged curious glances, momentarily forgetting their hostility and hurried after him. They ran for what seemed like ages until he stopped. Both men were panting hard, doubled over.  
Sirius raised his glance to see why did Tegar stop and he gasped. Snape looked up and saw-

....Winky, the house elf, held in the pincers of a giant spider.  
She was crying and saying over again "I is such a bad elf, I keep my masters secrets, even though he is not here any more."  
On the other side of the clearing was another centaur, talking to the spider, trying to persuade it to drop winky.  
"Whats going on" demanded Snape of Tegar. "Why do you need us?"  
"The elf is of much importance in time to come. The planets have said so. You must persuade the spider to let it go." explained Tegar.  
"Leave this to me, Black" said Snape.  
He strode into the clearing, readying his wand in preperation.   
"Drop the elf or I will kill you" he demanded in a loud voice.  
The spider replied in a rasping voice "I wouldn't do that if I were you."  
Rustling sounds were suddenly heard from all around the clearing.   
"As you can see I have company" as from all around the clearing giant spiders emerged.  
One came up behind Sirius and........

knocked him to the ground,his wand fell just out of reach and as he scrambled to his feet another spider sunk his fangs deep into his back, ripping his cloak and shirt.Snape sprank round and he to was pushed into the forest floor, a hugh spider straddled over him spitting venom over his mud stained shirt and face. Then as Black tried to get to his feet, blood oozing down the small of his back, a third spider spun it's sticky web,tight around his dishevelled form ,leaving him paralysed. Snape then wriggled from under his attacker and tried to find his wand in the undergrowth, but just as he felt it, the spider crushed his hand and Snape too was bound in a vile web....... 

After one last struggle within the complex threads of the silver netting, he fell unconscious and all faded into black. 

Snape regained consciousness after several hours. Pain spread through his hand that had been crushed by giant spider, and was now bleeding. In vain, he tried to make sense of what had happened, but all his eyes could register was darkness. Opening them, he could barely get a glimpse of what had attacked him, let alone see where Sirius had been taken. Yet, somehow, this didn't seem right...

Suddenly the whole area was flooded with light. Snape shut his eyes at the sudden shock of such a bright light. He squinted at the direction of the light, but couldn't see anything. Turning his head around all he could see was.........

...Sirius, still bound in the confining web,then he heard the pathetic sobbing of Winky, the House Elf sitting between himself and Black, who was still out cold. Sirius was lying in a pool of deep red blood and Snapes hand was contorted and twitching, but then the light swung round and a shadow fell over the gruesome scene and there was a sound out of the blackness coming nearer...... 

It was difficult to tell what it was. It was hovering...surreal...offering safety and warmth that reminded Snape faintly of Dumbledore's Fawkes whom he owed his life to many years ago. Yet it seemed momentarily. He shut his eyes, and savoured the sensation, feeling as if he were floating among serenity and peace itself. What was this marvellous entrancing substance? It wasn't natural...almost dangerous. It must have been of the work of evil Severus concluded. After a while he moaned gently and opened his eyes with which he could see the old familiar surroundings of the tall frightening trees. His hand was healed and all soft webbing had uncurled itself, leaving itself to lie limply beside him. Yet the air was musty with the stench of struggle and Sirius had disappeared.

He couldn't spot winky anywhere. "She must be with Black" he thought.   
Struggling a bit, he got to his feet and gathered up his wand and the webbing to take back to Dumbledore. It seemed to take ages to find his way back to the school, but eventually he arrived and went straight to Dumbledore's office. Walking in he began "Headmaster, I......."  
His voice trailed off into nothing as before him he saw........

..sitting in one of Dumbledores large oak chairs was Sirius,looking remarkable well despite his bloody back and shredded shirt; Fawkes was resting on the arm of the chair, leaning towards Blacks arm. Snape looked stunned to see him their but managed to contain his suprise.  
"Ah, Severus, yes an unusual turn of events"  
said the Headmaster, in his understated way.  
"What, where's the Elf, Black?"  
"What Elf, oh Severus you seem to be confused, did you get a blow to the head, aswell as a crushed hand?"   
Sirius let out a supressed laugh,but Dumbledore looked disapprovingly at him, like Sirius' Headmaster of old.   
Dumbledore broke the resentful bitterness between the two,  
"Listen, to me Severus, this is not easy for me to tell you ,but there's something about tonight that you are not aware off.......

Dumbledore paused a moment, making sure he had the full attention of Severus.   
"Well," he continued. "This is a bit difficult to explain.... I needed to know what you would find out tonight, but I couldn't tell you why. Let me tell you now. I received an owl telling me of recent disturbances in Hogsmeade, but not the residents causing these. I had reason to believe that these were being caused by some creature in the forbidden forest, but I needed to find out what. What you've just told me gives me reason to believe that something bad is about to happen and it involves the house-elf, Winky."  
He broke off to look at their faces; Snape's was calm whilst Sirius was burning with passion.  
"What I am about to reveal must not go beyond these walls....

To be continued...


	4. Chapter Two: The Plot Thickens

The Plot  
  
Both men nodded, Snape's was curt whilst Serius' a bit more eagerly.  
  
  
"What is it?" The latter asked impatiently. Snape snorted.  
  
  
Dumbledore raised a hand for silence and continued.  
"A few months ago there were some minor thefts there. A coldren here, frogs' legs there, nothing big or unusual. Rumor has it that a house elf was seen wondering near a shop right before the roberry. Now we do not know WHY would a house elf commit such a crime, but we have enough evidence to consider the possibility. We believe that the house elves are working for someone. Who and why we do not know and you must find out. They might be under a spell or otherwise working forpay, we only know no good will come from this. That is why I asked Winky to participate in the investigation as well as Dobby. If you saw her in the forest that cannot be good. That is why you must leave now and go to Hogsmead."  
"Both of us?" Snape asked contemptously. Serius glared at him.  
"I am aware of your... Fondness for one another, yet I must insist that you both go." Dumbledore said gravely. Both men nodded and left the room.  
"Where should we go first?" Serius asked him. "A person like YOU should know."  
Snape ignored the coment and walked purposfully.  
"I have an idea..." Snape muttered.  
  
Snape swept out of the room,a deathly look on his face,clearly he understood the gravity of the situation; while Black looked back at Dumbledore with a more quizzical expression, as Fawkes fluttered to his usual perch.   
Neither man spoke as they hurried down through the coridoors and stair-ways to exit the castle, their mission seemimg to relieve their wounds received in the forest.  
"Wait!" Sirius called as they neared the village,  
"Where are you going?"   
But Severus continued,not even slowing his steady strides or turning to acknowledge his now, enforced partner. How had Black got back to the castle before him and in such apparent good health; and his hand began to twitch and throb again at the thought of that hideous spider.   
As they went through the village,Sirius sped up to draw level with Snape,grabbed his arm and again spoke;   
"Stop,What the hell are you doing, we've got to work together, the Headmaster was insistant I keep an eye on you"  
and he appeared to take great pleasure in revealing this instruction.  
"Get off me!" snarled Snape looking at Blacks hand still holding his left arm.  
"I have no desire to work with you" the words almost spat from his mouth with a venom,Snape would rather not have used in front of his enemy,but then more calmly;  
"I don't need you to watch me, I'd never disobey the Headmasters word, he knows that"  
Sirius shrugged and let go,but he glanced at Snape with suspicion.  
They continued to a dwelling set apart from the rest of Hogsmeade, where a faint light shone from within;  
"Go round to the back and wait",  
Snape ordered but his tone of authority annoyed Black;  
"What, so you can do your dirty deeds out of my sight, No YOU wait there,I'll go in"  
"But..."  
Snape didn't finish as Sirius had already moved over to the front of the shelter,so he slinked to cover the other exit.  
Black took out his wand,his breath faster now,and shoved the door open but remained outside, he couldn't see or hear a thing,so ventured inside with his wand lit and peered into the gloom.   
The room smelt foul,worse than even he had know,with all his revolting experiences, a mixture of evil smelling potions and decaying flesh. But still, nothing,what was this place,was in a trap,but surely even Severus wouldn't try something,when Dumbledore knew they were together?   
He felt the urge to transform,but before he had chance to,somthing moved,quickly from the corned of the dimly lit room, and slammed straight into him,knocking him to the ground. It had him pinned to the floor,the foul smell overwhelming now and it was slobbering over his face as he lay helpless under the enormous weight.....   
  
......as he struggled to free himself, the back door swung open and Snape stepped in;  
"Melkor! Let him go,it's OK,he's here with me,Dumbledore sent us.."  
The giant turned to see Snape and stood up,as if Sirius wasn't even there and said;  
"Severus,my friend,what's wrong?"   
Meanwhile Black scrambled to his feet and backed away towards the door and as Snape lit his wand, he could see his assailant, a gigantic,ugly beast,almost like a troll.  
This thing and Snape appeared to be on speaking terms,Blacks fear subsided and now he was furious with Snape,once more;  
"You, tried to get me killed", he gasped,  
"Wanted your revenge, after all this time,did you, what do you think Dumbledore would have said about that, you idiot...this beast would have...."  
"Shut up for a moment,I told you to wait outside remember. This 'beast' as you call him maybe able to help us"  
Snape turned to the creature,  
"Melkor,How are you?"  
They both sat down, as Black looked on in disbelief, the creature was part troll,part man a most unusual combination, but Snape engaged him as a friend.  
"Ah, Severus I wondered if someone from the castle would come down here soon, there have been some terrible goings on,there is a bad feeling around the place"  
"What do you know?" Snape enquired, while Black stood and watched this strange meeting and had to say something;  
"What is this,this thing?"  
Snape shot him a piercing look,  
"This thing as you put it, is a great savant,he has taught me many of the finer points of potion making. Yes he has a little troll blood, but he is a good friend" Snapes   
face seem to lighten slightly, a smile, almost appeared, as Sirius looked dumbfounded.  
Then he turned once more to Melkor;  
And the creature told Snape what he had seen....  
  
Melkor saw a tall hooded figure followed by many house elves roaming the streets at a late hour. Melkor, thinking it was suspicious, followed them until the Inn in one of the dark corners of Hogsmeade. He dared not go there and went back home.  
Snape listened to Melkor tell the story and when he was done, he thanked him and he and Black left the place.  
"What's so special about that Inn?" Serius asked confused. Snape rolled his eyes and snorted.  
"It's is amiably named the 'Death Inn'. Many Death Eaters would stay there, waiting for orders, gathering....but mostly many unsolved murders happened there" Snape explained as they walked the deserted streets.  
"I wonder how you'd know..." Serius began venomously, when Snape shooshed him. They stood in silence, hidden behind a wall and sawa hooded figure walking past them and headed to the Inn.  
"What do we do now?" Serius asked, as the person passed.  
"We follow him." Snape answered already walking quickly. Black caught up to him quickly and they walked in silence until they reached the doors of the Inn.  
"This time LISTEN to what I say", Snape warned. "People know me here. We split up; I go inside and try to see if I find anyone that I know and you try and sniff around. Be CAREFUL, they're not fools, they can spot a spy easily."  
"Then how didn't they spot you when you were 'working' for the headmaster?" Black asked coldly.  
"Luck. They've wisened since. Don't ask too many questions. The last thing I need is to drag your body back to Hogwarts and tell the headmaster it was your stupidity thatcost us this mission." Snape said and walked in.  
Serius grunted angrily and went around the back. He leaned against the wall, waiting a bit before he got in. He entered the Inn and suddenly was confonted with the sight of a group of people surrounding Snape with their wands pulled out. Snape had his wand pulled out and had a malicious look on his face.  
Sirius stayed by the door, a smirk on his face, watching to see how Severus would get out of this situation.  
"Listen, to me." said Snape. "There are things going on that are more important than anything that happened in the past. There is a plot to help out Voldemort and we need to know whats going on."  
One of the group surrounding him spoke up.  
"Well, Snape, you haven't given us much reason to trust from before. How can you prove to us that you're not going to go back on your word?" He spoke with a snarl.  
Snape just looked at him. "Do you really think I would come back here to ask for help if I wasn't desperate? You know what I'm like."  
A couple of the group went into a huddle and came back to him. "Very well, we will help you out this time. But it will come at a price. Are you prepared to pay it?"  
"I am" Snape replied. "As I have before."  
"Very well. We will tell you what we know."  
The group dissappated and left Snape with just the two that had gone into a huddle.   
"Let us go and sit down. This may take a while."  
"Very well, but may I bring along my associate. He needs to know what is going on." indicating Sirius as he said this.  
They eyed him and eventually one of them said it was alright. They went and sat down in the darkest corner.  
"What I am about to tell you could cause many lives to be lost if it gets into the wrong hands. If we find out that this information has been abused, we will come after you and kill you. It concerns someone in the Ministry of Magic....."  
  
"In the minsitry?" Srius interupted. "HoW"  
Snape gave him a cold look and motioned the man to continue.  
"There's a plot set out against that Weasley fellow, been causing too much trouble. Someone in the ministry is helping. We don't know how, but the house elves have something to do with it all. That's all I know"  
"Who's the Death Eater?" Snape asked coldly.  
All I know is the name. He's called....Black." 


End file.
